Monday Mini ~ The Small Hand and Dolly

Getting back into the swing of things each week is hard. So is finding the quiet time to write a review over the weekend. In order to ease out of the weekend, I’ve decided to begin my blogging week with a mini review.

Today I’m featuring on of my recommendations in the September issue of the Bloggers Recommend newsletter. Bloggers Recommend is a group of dedicated bloggers read and recommend some of the best books being published each month. I am proud to be a founding member of the Advisory Board. My recommendation and 30 more can be found the September Bloggers Recommend newsletter. If you haven’t already signed up, you can get next month’s edition delivered right to your Inbox simply by signing up.

I love Gothic fiction, so I immediately requested this eGalley when I found it on NetGalley. These two novellas by Susan Hill did not disappoint. There were the decrepit English settings and unsettling histories. These stories kept me on edge, but weren’t graphic or bloody. As someone who startles easily in general, I found reading both The Small Hand and Dolly to be the perfect way to get my heart pumping without disturbing my sleep. I enjoyed the way Susan Hill told her stories and will be looking for a copy of The Woman in Black. If you enjoy Gothic fiction like I do, this is definitely something to pick up and read during this time of year.

My Blurb in the Bloggers Recommend Newsletter
Lovers of Gothic tales set in disturbing English settings will take delight in The Small Hand and Dolly, two Susan Hill novellas published together for the first time. Readers will be set on edge just enough to get chill bumps while being safe to read alone in the dark. Maybe.

The only Susan Hill I’ve read is her memoir about reading, “Howard’s End Is On the Stairs.” (Love that title!) Now we’ll see if I’m brave enough to tackle her Gothic fiction. Thanks (I think) Jennifer!

Woman in Black is a very good ghost story, and a little frightening, for me. I always get the shivers reading it. I just had my husband pick up The Small Hand while he was in England this summer, so I have it to read during this month. I’m saving it for a little ghost reading this coming Thanksgiving weekend for us here in Canada. I enjoyed your review. One of the reasons why I enjoy Susan Hill’s gothic fiction is because it’s not gory, it’s atmospheric and eerie, which I find play on my nerves and mind much more effectively than gory fiction does.